McChrystal Reporter Michael Hastings Dead, at 33

Michael Hastings, the fearless journalist whose reporting brought down the career of General Stanley McChrystal, has died in a car accident in Los Angeles, Rolling Stone has learned. He was 33.

Hastings' unvarnished 2010 profile of McChrystal in the pages of Rolling Stone, "The Runaway General," captured the then-supreme commander of the U.S.-led war effort in Afghanistan openly mocking his civilian commanders in the White House. The maelstrom sparked by its publication concluded with President Obama recalling McChrystal to Washington and the general resigning his post. "The conduct represented in the recently published article does not meet the standard that should be met by – set by a commanding general," Obama said, announcing McChrystal's departure. "It undermines the civilian control of the military that is at the core of our democratic system."

Hastings' hallmark as reporter was his refusal to cozy up to power. While other embedded reporters were charmed by McChrystal's bad-boy bravado and might have excused his insubordination as a joke, Hastings was determined to expose the recklessness of a man leading what Hastings believed to be a reckless war. "Runaway General" was was a finalist for a National Magazine Award, won the 2010 Polk award for magazine reporting, and was the basis for Hastings' book, The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America's War in Afghanistan.

Does anyone know what he was working on? Also were there other cars following him? I did not see any on the cam of that reporter. So, tryng to piece this together...... one witness said there was an explosion and the car jacknifed and then hit the tree. Another said he was speeding and hit the tree, but he was heavy on his english so I could not understand parts of what he was saying.... so I don't know that what is being said is true or not. Anyone hear anything since this happened?

"Michael Hastings was killed, when his car hit a tree, and burst into flames"

How often do cars burst into flames?

He was not driving a 1965 FORD MUSTANG, which had a poorly designed and installed "exploding gas tank".

It was not a 1971 or 72 FORD PINTO, which also had exploding gas tanks.

"Older cars tend to be more likely to catch fire , said Officer Jason Wong of the Long Beach Police Department. "The newer the car, the safer the car," Wong said - Cars have improved dramatically from the 1970s..."

Sounds like something was messed with, maybe like the gas pedal, or maybe he was drugged or a small explosion would jack knife a car. In any case, the description by the witness makes it unlikely it was a normal accident. Sounds like Mossad to me.

RIP Michael Hastings, Investigative Journalist, Age 33. FTA: A witness described the accident... "I seen a car, like, going really fast and all of a sudden I seen it jackknife,” Luis Cortez said. “I just seen parts fly everywhere, and I slammed on my brakes and stopped and tried to call 911."

"It might have been statements like these that made people think he was a threat.
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